Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi Cakes

Peel and shred 4 kohlrabi bulbs. Squeeze out any excess moisture. In medium bowl, mix: 1/4 cup green onions, chopped

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 tbsp. dried bread crumbs (I use flour if I am out of bread crumbs and bread)

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. dried pepper flakes

dash of black pepper

Stir in shredded kohlrabi and blend well.



Heat olive oil in a skillet and drop this mixture in by large spoonfuls. Saute until golden on each side. Serve with a minted yogurt sauce.

Chard

Chard is pretty versatile. It has a flavor reminiscent of spinach, though its texture is more substantial. It goes well with lemon and lentils - there is a recipe that I will post once I find it. For now this a fast, simple way to try your chard.

Braised Chard with Pine Nuts and Raisins
Heat 4 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add 2 cups chopped chard-stems and all. Stir to coat. Reduce heat to low, stir in 1/2 tsp sugar, 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar (or cider vinegar), 1/4 cup raisins, and a dash of salt and pepper. Cover and cook until chard is tender and raisins plump up some. Add 1/4 cup pine nuts, 1/2 cup bread crumbs just before serving.

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Pak Choi

Pak Choi is a member of the cabbage family. The thick stems are crunchy and mild. The green leaves have a more pungent flavor, with the most pungent being at the leaf tips. I usually simply chop these into bite size pieces and cook it quickly over high heat with any other veggies that I have - sugar or snow peas, carrots, green onions. Intead of salt, I season with a drizzle of soy sauce toward the end.
Serve with brown rice.

Kale - the way Ethan makes it.

I use a cast iron frying pan for this, but something else might work. This recipe is simple enough for kids to help you.

Wash a bunch of kale. Remove the large center stem that runs down the center of each leaf. Tear the leaves into smaller pieces and set them aside. All kids can do this part.

Heat over medium high heat, enough olive oil to fully lubricate your pan plus have an extra puddle at the lowest point. Crush and mince one or two cloves of garlic and add them to the pan. Give it a stir to keep the garlic moving, and add some of the kale. (If you add all of it at once, you will lower the heat of the pan too much, and it doesn't turn out as well.) Keep the kale moving. Listen to the sound of the pan . You want it sizzle. If it gets quiet, add a bit more oil until it sizzles and spits again. As the kale cooks down, add the rest in batches. Keep stirring and listening. Ethan usually does this for me. Once it begins to darken add salt to taste and try not to eat most of it out of the pan. I usually cook it until most pieces get crunchy, but use your own judgement.

Serve. Pass a mild vinegar like red wine or balsalmic to drizzle over the greens on your plates. Thie recipe works well for collards and other greens as well.

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Sugar Peas

My favorite way to eat Sugar Peas (besides just crunching them out of hand) is this recipe from the old timers in our family. It's kind of like soup with not so much broth

Dice and cook 1-2 cups potatoes (peeled or not, your choice) in salted water until they are al dente. While the potates cook remove the strings from your peas (1-2 cups). Drain and set aside. In your medium saucepan, melt a few tablespoons of butter then stir in an equal amount of flour. Cook it for a minute or two to eliminate that raw flour taste. A little at a time, stir in cold milk and cook over medium heat until the consistency is a pleasant sauce - keep it moving gently to it doesn't make clumps and keep adding milk as you need it. When you get tired of that, salt it to your liking. Add peas and potatoes and heat through. Take care not to cook the peas much. They are not as good if they get floppy. Enjoy!